Girlguiding Scotland calls for action after new findings show sexual harassment ‘normal’

Girlguiding Scotland is calling on politicians to act to end sexual bullying as new UK-wide Girlguiding research released today (Tuesday 2 December 2014) reveals girls are growing up with sexual harassment as a ‘normal’ part of their everyday lives.

The call from Scotland’s largest youth charity comes as UK charity Girlguiding launches its sixth annual Girls’ Attitudes Survey which finds girls as young as seven are victims of routine sexual taunts from boys. This behaviour too often intensifies into sexual harassment during their teenage years.

Girls also describe battling a casual attitude to sexist remarks and harassment from society at large – with girls being urged to shrug off abuse as a bit of banter.

Girlguiding and Girlguiding Scotland believe no girl should have to tolerate gender-based violence or any form of sexual harassment.

Ahead of the next general election, young women in guiding are calling on politicians to make real commitments to ensuring the wellbeing of girls by signing up to the Girls Matter campaign. The campaign includes a call for schools to take a zero tolerance approach to sexual bullying and harassment.

Amy Callaghan, 16, a Girlguiding Scotland member from Glasgow who was part of the panel that developed and analysed the research, said: “Every day, many girls’ lives are made a misery by sexist comments, sexual harassment and abuse at school.

“What’s worse is that it’s not being treated as a serious issue.

“We need politicians to take action and sign up to our Girls Matter pledges.

“We need them to send a message that this kind of behaviour towards girls and young women will not be tolerated.”

Girlguiding’s Girls Matter campaign calls on politicians to make real commitments to improve the lives of girls at the next election. Girlguiding members have developed eight policy asks to make life fairer for girls. For more information on the report, visit www.girlguiding.org.uk/girlsmatter or follow #GirlsMatter.

In 2013, Girlguiding’s report Care Versus Control revealed that many girls accept jealousy and controlling behaviour as a “normal” part of relationships – reframing it as genuine care and concern. Research was carried out by ChildWise through a series of focus groups among girls aged 11 to 17 and through a quantitative poll of more than 1,000 girls and young women aged between 7 and 21.

Girlguiding Scotland is part of a worldwide guiding movement calling for an end to violence against women through the World Association of Guides and Girl Scouts’ Stop the Violence campaign. For more information visit http://www.wagggs.org/en/take_action/violence.